Cloistered Emperor
by A Really Big Idiot
Summary: Summary: Somehow, trapped in an ancient time, Zero Kiryu desperately needs to find a way to get back home. However, he unexpectedly meets the man he is destined to love for all eternity…and to one day cold-bloodedly murder. "To the one I love…please prepare to die." He whispered. A RidoxZero Dark Romance Fic! Now updated with Chapter 3!
1. Prelude - The Event

_**Cloistered Emperor **_

_**By: A Really Big Idiot **_

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_**Summary: **_Somehow_**, **_trapped in an ancient time, Zero Kiryu desperately needs to find a way to get back home. However, he unexpectedly meets the man he is destined to love for all eternity…and to one day murder. "To the one I love…please prepare to die." He whispered. A RidoxZero Dark Romance Fic!

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_**Prelude: The Event**_

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It was the blackest time of the night, but despite the darkness, the winds of winter hugged the pale moonlight like a cruel lover.

I was caught in a three-men stand still – me, the lone ex-human vampire hunter, against two powerful enemy purebloods. Luckily, at least one of them (for now) was on my side. However, as we all bared our chosen weapons at each other, we all knew that the next attack would be the deciding one. We were all exhausted, after all. This battle had been long and tedious, but now it would have to come to an end.

But, strangely, the moment the older of the two purebloods looked directly in my wrathful eyes… it was as if he just realized something extremely important.

Time seemed to stop as we nakedly stared at each. It was like the world had fallen away, and we were the only ones left in it.

But the way he looked at me…

The way…_**he…just…**__**looked**_…

He looked at me with an expression that made me feel like a monstrous ghost.

A strangeness. An incongruity. _Odd sensations were stirring in my chest…_

"You." The mad pureblood inaudibly whispered. "_**You**_." He breathlessy repeated. "_…How_?"

I then realized that I couldn't turn away from him. I couldn't stop staring. For some reason, my heart had morphed into glass…

And it was _**shattering**_.

_I…I don't understand why its hurts._ I thought to myself. _I…just…don't…understand._

We continued to look at each other. Both his eyes, one blue and one red, burned into mines. He continued to look at me with that strange yet awful expression.

I was completely frozen. I should realize something. I know I should, but…

But I don't know what that _something_ is.

Disturbed, I tightly held on to my newly unleashed Bloody Rose. It was completely transformed. Thousands upon thousands of hungry thorns surrounded us like angel feathers, and while I had never used my prized weapon in such a state, I knew that it was no longer a simple anti-vampire gun.

No, it became something _much_ more than a mere weapon.

_It had become a part of me. _

Yet, our otherworldly silence continued.

"All this time…it was you." The madman quietly said. "I-"

But when he raised his bloody claw-like hand – the instincts that I dedicated my life to perfect did not fail me.

_There was no time to think. _

My weapon's thorny bullet immediately devoured the tormented light from his eyes.

"_**NO**__!"_ I said.

Yet while my voice was a whisper, it felt like I was _screaming_.

**To Be Continued**

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**(Maybe?) **

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**AN:** (Looks cautiously to the right.) No SN fans. (Looks cautiously to the left) No SN fans. (Looks front) A catapult full of flaming tomatoes ready-to-be-launched at the foolish authoress. Oh boy…. XD

Look, I know I shouldn't have created a _new_ fic while the majority of my loyal readers are waiting for the next update to SN (and its coming soon to those who caught me! XD), but, seriously, every time I started to write the next chapter of SN _**this**_ idea _wouldn't… leave… me… alone._ (Just like SN did before! Wow! This may not go well with me. X_X) Goodness, how this story idea haunted me! It was like a terrible ghost! XD So, to finally get rid of this mild haunting, I decided to just put it up and watch it get shot down in flames. XP I know this pairing is so unlikely that a snowball trapped in hell would mock me, but it…just….wouldn't…go…away. I had to try.

-_-'

So, here we are! Ha ha! Tell me what you think guys! I'm experimenting with a new style of writing! First-Person POV FTW! So, your comments are highly looked forward to! So, yea or nay to the idea?


	2. Chapter 1 - Haunting Dreams

**Cloistered Emperor **

**By: A Really Big Idiot **

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**Ancient Jomon Period**

_Eyes like rich amethysts…_

_Lips as full as blood…_

_Skin as soft as snow…_

I had the vision.

_Again. _

Lying on my silk and fur covered tatami, I twisted my lips into a dark frown.

Despite my mild annoyance, it was always a beautiful vision.

In fact, every time I've had it, I always felt a sense of completeness that I couldn't really describe, and I felt something warm in my chest. One could almost describe that warmth as something peaceful and completing. I always felt relaxed, and, dare I say, _happy_ whenever I was caught within it.

_Humph. _

Happy feelings are things I rarely felt in my normal nighttime tidings and routines. Thus, having such feelings was strange and slightly alarming. Yet, whenever I had that strange happy vision… it would abruptly end when I finally laid my eyes on that mysterious person.

_A person with rich amethysts for eyes, who had full red lips, and skin as soft as snow… _

_Ah._ But this pleasant vision was of a person that… _I did not even know_.

This is ironically amusing to me.

One would think as the Third Heir of Nightfall, I, Heir Prince Rido Kuran, wouldn't have such as an odd problem, in fact, I've made it my duty to not have 'odd' problems, but clearly this dilemma wasn't going to leave me alone.

After all, I've had these visions for so long that I can't quite remember when they started.

_Bah._

Nevertheless, even though I've had these strange visions for a long time, I still didn't know _who_ that mysterious person was, but that person almost felt like a dear friend now. Which was even funnier if one thought about it. My closest of friends was one someone that I didn't even know! Yet, I've become so use to with this strange dream that I felt a certain level of familiarity with that mysterious heavenly person.

Which was quite foolish when one thought about it. Considering that even with these vivid visions, my remembered imaginings of this person was also quite vague. Humph. I didn't even know if this person was a male or female for darkness's sakes!

But the fact remained, I'm almost sure such a person does not exist on this world. Such beauty was for the heavens and thus could never exist on mortal earth.

So was this old vision of mine a trick of some sort? A ruse? A ploy? Some mischief caused by a hidden enemy?

Humph.

But now is the time for me to awaken I suppose. Night has come anew. Thus, this mild dilemma of mine would have to wait till another time.

The Mad Vampire Emperor would be expecting me shortly.

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**Chapter 1 – Haunting Dreams **

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_**Modern Times **_

_**Zero Kiryu **_

When I snapped open my eyes, I could still feel my heart racing.

Placing my sweating hand over my heart, I could feel every beat of that red organ slam against my shaky ribs. Frowning, I turned my head to look at my alarm clock.

_5:35 AM,_ it read.

I stared at it for an extra moment.

_Well, damn. _I thought._ Damn it all to hell. _

It's the exact same time again. Just like the last few nights. Hell, just like the past few months! No matter if my work shift was long or short – I would always be awakened at this exact same time!

Honestly, this is getting to be a bit creepy.

Sighing, I sat up on my full-size bed and lightly scratched my head. One of my fingers got caught in a small silver hair knot, and I lightly glared at it. Really? Clearly, it was a sign that I needed a new hair cut. I never cared much for long hair – too much time and effort would be required for me to maintain it.

And I'm a low-maintenance type of guy. _Extremely low maintenance. _ I think hobos have better standards that I have sometimes.

But between you and me, personally, I would prefer to be bald – like completely hairless with a shiny cool skull! I think I would be far _cooler_ with a bald shiny head!

Plus with my various tattoos and earnings, I would be _badass_. No one – man, woman, child, human, vampire - would be able to mess with me! And perhaps I'll be taken more seriously in at the Hunter's Association? Ever since I've taken on full-time work, some of the higher-ranked hunter captains have pretty much written me off as a 'weak pretty boy' - despite my good record and notorious bad attitude.

Sigh.

Even though I try to be as cold and mean to people as much as possible (I never said I was a nice guy), I knew my looks negatively affected my so-called 'intimating' aura. The crazy Day Class girls were a clear example of it! I could freeze them with an intense stare at one minute, but then the second I turn my back, I would hear some girl say, "_He's so cold, but so hot!"_

But, then again, girls have always been kinda crazy. Isn't that part of their job description? Honestly, I don't get it. Why on earth would girls like 'dangerous' guys anyway? While I would never hurt a woman, some guys don't have those restraints. So why in the world would dangerous men be attractive? Do girls have secret death wishes or something? Was that part of the crazy?

Double sigh.

Still, while I might dream of a future bald-headed self, knowing some of the people around me (particularly Yuki), I would probably be forced to grow back my hair under intense threat. Ha!

_Stop ignoring it._ Something whispered deep within me. _Stop ignoring your true unease, Zero._

I sighed a third time. I really didn't want to deal with this strange problem right now.

While I didn't know why I would always wake up at this strange exact time, I did know why I would wake up in the first place.

It was because of a bad dream.

It was a creepy, weird, and very uncomfortable problem, and I kind of hoped that if I didn't think about it too much, it would go away on its own. But that never happens, huh? No, that would be too nice and easy, and if one could say anything about my life, it would be that it has _**never**_ been _nice_ or _easy_.

Still, I didn't feel like dealing with it. But, in a logical way, how exactly was I supposed to if I could?

How does one solve a recurring bad dream? Since when could anyone _stop_ such things?

_**Memory flash**__! _

_Shocked and painful filled crimson and blue eyes…_

_A bleeding bloody lip…_

_An icy touching hand…_

_**End flash!**_

Suddenly, I grew angry with myself. _Damn, damn, damn it._ I don't know why that accursed event kept coming up and haunting my sleep. The hell? Why did I still keep remembering that moment so clearly? It happened nearly two years ago. Two freaking years! So, why the hell did I feel so damn…

…_Guilty?_

I heaved a heavy sigh and fell back onto my sweat-wet bed.

Okay, now. Let me be rational. I'm a rational person. I'm rational, objective, and reasonable to boot. So, let's play 'logical vampire hunter', Zero!

Pureblood Rido Kuran was a wretched member of the Nightfall World. In fact, he was one of the vilest and cruelest monsters who had shaken the vampire world to its core numerous times. He had done so many terrible things that even high-ranked vampire criminals spoke his name with fear and disgust. Hell, most vampires believed Rido Kuran was stone-cold insane the majority of times, so if any blood-sucker needed to die - Rido Kuran was at the top of the list.

_And I killed him. _

I, Zero Kiryu, _**killed**_ Rido Kuran.

I shot him down like he was nothing more than an insane rabid dog.

Therefore, I did a good thing, right? _Right?_

Yeah. _**Right.**_

_So, riddle me this hunter,_ My brain mocked. _If what you did was such a good thing, why do you still feel guilty and…empty… after all this time? Why did you feel that you committed a terrible sin? _

Now those two questions were something I couldn't really answer.

And I didn't like that.

I didn't like that fact at all.

And the most haunting part of that accursed event crashed into my mind without the slightest bit of warning.

_**Memory flash!**_

_"All this time…it was you." The madman quietly said. Kuran looked at me like he couldn't believe I was hesitating, but I could not stop staring at our foe._

_Something inside of me was screaming at me to do something, yet I just couldn't move. I could only stare and stare and stare… _

_But when he raised his bloody claw-like hand, my hunter hands went on autopilot._

"_I-" Rido said as he reached towards me. "I should have known. I should have –" _

_But then it happened. _

_I felt, rather than heard, my death bullet flew free. _

_**BANG. **_

_Rido looked at me for a long second. Then he looked down at the sudden large hole in the middle of his chest. His heart completely gone, and blood started to rush down his hips. I could only stare – completely shocked at what I had just done, but then…Rido returned his odd pair of red and blue eyes back towards mine. _

_Without warning, Rido was immediately in front of me. I thought he would kill me as well at that moment. He could have easily done so. I was shocked senseless and if he were to go down, he wasn't the type to go alone. I saw my life flash before my eyes. _

_However, a strange half smile quietly formed on Rido's bleeding lips. _

_If I was shocked before, what the hell could I call this? _

_But before I could stop him, Rido's bloody hands gently caressed my face as his strange discolored eyes looked at me softly. His lips still had on that strange half smile. _

"_I did say…that was always…the easier…option." Rido's deep voice no longer had the normal crazed gleam to it. I don't know what was more shocking – the fact that he was smiling, the fact that he was seeming smiling at me who just as well killed him, or the fact that I had no idea what he meant. _

_All I knew was that I couldn't move at this moment. _

_By the most surprising thing was Rido's last words to me. _

_Leaning in close, he softly whispered into my ear. "Watashi no kokoro wa anata no desu." His deep cultured voice lovingly sang. "Watashi no kokoro wa anata no desu, Kiryu."_

_Wide-eyed, I could only stare. I didn't understand what he meant - at all._

_However, it seems I wouldn't __**need**__ to. _

_With the strangest happy smile I ever saw on a dying face, Pureblood Rido Kuran disintegrated into black ashes before me. _

_And it was only then did I realize my wet cheeks. _

_**End Flash!**_

Somehow exhausted, I massaged my forehead. No matter how much I thought about it, I didn't do anything wrong that day! I didn't! In fact, I did exactly what I was suppose to do!

Yuki was in danger…and Kuran couldn't do it…so it was up to me…and I was a _vampire hunter_…and _Rido_ was an _**extremely evil blood-sucker**_… so...

_**Why the hell have I felt so empty since that day? **_

It was like my heart had been ripped out of me.

No.

It was almost as if _I_ had _ripped my heart out of myself._

Nothing had been the same after that moment. Even though everything went back to 'normal', it was never quite the same.

_And I had no idea why. _

Sighing for the thousandth time, I decided to just get up and do something. I wouldn't be getting anymore sleep this morning.

**To Be Continued **

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**A/N:** Well, I have decided to continue with this tale! XD But, goodness, first person POV is quite difficult! O_O! I never realized how much so until I started this chapter and boy it was tricky! Zero was relatively 'easy', but I can already see that Rido's 'voice' is going to give me a lot of nightmares to accurately write in the future. I want it to sound 'olden times' but with a relatable mix of cultured roguishness and mild innocence! Yeah now! I know an 'innocent' Rido is a shocking idea but this is 'pre-madness' Rido we're talking about, so give me some license, folks! XD

However, unlike SN (my first baby who has become a true monster in its own right! XD), this story can turn in a thousand different ways because I quite focused on the pairing! XD It isn't so 'up in the air' as SN, so I don't have to be ride-or-die with some elements! What this means for you guys/readers, is that ever so often I will give you guys 'choices' as to how the story should go! ;3 And so, here's the _first_ reader's choice of CE:

_When Zero falls back into Rido's time, should he remain a man or be transformed into a woman?_ XD It won't affect the romance either way, but it could provide a certain level of 'comedy' to any otherwise angsty fic! :D I'm all ears, guys, as the most votes win!

_**Anyway, thanks for reading and please leave a review – short or long – I love them all! **_


	3. Chapter 2 - Tedious Boredom

**Cloistered Emperor**

**By: A Really Big Idiot**

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**Ancient Jomon Period**

**(Rido Kuran)**

As I presented myself before my Emperor, an odd realization stuck me with the furiousness of lightning.

This game I continue to play here is getting to be…quite…_boring_.

No, make that _**extremely boring. **_

How I wish to can _**disappear**_ from this tedious existence.

Yet, ironically, my life is not something one could describe as 'uninteresting'.

The intense silence in the room was quite telling of that. I'm sure the majority of the court thought I was going to be surely punished _this_ time. My pervious actions in the past month were quite outlandish to say the least. Ha! In truth, part of me wondered why this meeting had taken so long, but alas it had come.

Unfortunately, for these worthless fools, I knew I would not be punished today.

After all, my grandfather is Emperor, my father is his heir, and I am to be his next heir. Did they really think I would be banished today?

But then, that was the least my grandfather could do, no? Banishment. Exile. Ha. What glorious and soft punishments those would be if they befell me. But, no. I had more important things to worry about. More important things to be cautious of. And those things were things these pompous court officials could never dream of – much less handle.

Yet, despite the various dangers I must constantly dodge, I'm getting quite bored with it.

_Something needs to change. _

Nevertheless, who wouldn't say that being the Third Heir of the powerful Royal Kuran Dynasty wasn't a gloriously position? Honestly, to a casual observer, my current life was one of total power and golden prestige. And my future was even brighter.

But casual observers never know the truth of matters, do they?

Humph.

My grandfather, Vampire Emperor Hikonagisa Kuran, is going insane. I knew it. Father knew it. By darkness, the entire court knew it. His progression into idiocy was steady and rapid, and as sure as the hot sun will set tomorrow. Everyone in this kingdom knew was going on, but did they say or do anything about it?

Not at all.

After all, the past few years have been quite _bloody_ ones, you know.

Grandfather killed numerous clan heads because of his growing but unfounded paranoia. And despite the seemingly relaxed atmosphere of current court – I knew that most of the people here feared for their very throats.

Still, I find even _this_ quite boring. So very, _very_ boring. Perhaps this is because I'm tired of playing these tragic mind games?

I held in a mocking smile.

Perhaps that was the truth of the matter. The reason behind my intense cold boredom.

I'm sick of this mask I'm forced to wear in order to survive.

To outlast my grandfather's madness, I've decided to play and wear the mask of the princely court jester. And, I must say, I've perfected this act and mask quite well.

I am the spoiled rotten, totally self-absorbed, selfishly lascivious, princely…fool.

This is the act I play in order to survive.

Because who truly fears such worthless individuals? My mad grandfather obviously didn't. He brought my fool's act wondrously. In fact, one could say that he preferred me to be and act this way. After all, as a fool I was not a threat to him in anyway. Thus, I believe this was why I've kept my head while some of my more ambition cousins have not.

But by darkness, I'm getting _very_ bored with this.

But I must continue.

Emperor Hikonagisa amusingly looked down at me from his black-gold throne. His perpetual crimson eyes almost seemed as if they saw everything but nothing at the same time.

"Ah, Third Heir Prince Rido Kuran," My grandfather drily started. "Is there a reason why you decided to…_deflower…_ the Rose Blossom Clan's second daughter three nights ago?" He heavily sighed. "Not exactly a wise decision, my Third Heir. So, how do you intend to _fix_ this?"

Ah. Now it's time to play my part.

Lowly bowing my head, I said, "That is quite the assertion, my emperor." I gamely said. "I'm quite…_surprised_… one thinks _I _was the one that deflowered the dear maiden." I openly smirked. "She wasn't at all meek and mild during our brief moment."

"How dare you!" An outraged male voice cried out. "_How dare you_!" His pink eyes were blazing. "You spoil my daughter's purity, and now you would spoil her name?"

Ah. So the girl's father was here? I almost frowned. As the Clan Head of the Rose Blossom Clan, Lord Hio, wasn't known for his intelligence – and, by that, I mean, letting this incident go. He loved honor and all that foolishness.

However, honestly, most of the members of this court have and did happily offer their cherished daughters (and sons) to my bed with the hopes of gaining me and thus my grandfather's greatly desired favor. It was a fool's cause as I cared nothing about this court, their pathetic lives, or anything about this world, so it was nothing to me to take what they freely offered in vain hopes.

How can they think I would help them when they all idly stood by as my dear mother burned to her death? Did they really think I've _forgotten_ that?

Looking at the 'honorable' Lord Hio, I darkly grinned, "One cannot spoil something that was rotten to begin with, my dear man." I smirked widely. "But if it's any consolation, she performed better than my most expensive of whores." Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw that my grandfather looked at me with dark amusement. He never did like Lord Hio. "Yet, one has to wonder where she learned such things. A hallmark of your training, perhaps?" Then I rudely suggested. "She'll make a fine addition to a _lower_ noble's _Ooku__." _

Well, now. By night, the man looked ready to kill me on the spot. Still, I continued to gamely _smile_ at him as I watched his dark fury for me increase ten-folds.

Yet, despite the shocked silent among the court noblemen over my crude disrespect, my grandfather let out a dark chuckle.

"My Prince Rido, are you actually saying that Lord Hio's daughter isn't a worthy maiden of virtuous honor?" The Emperor mockingly questioned me. He seemed quite amused that one of his higher noblemen was treated so roughly by me.

So, looking at my grandfather, I said, "As a tree from its root, its fruits bear witness to its value, my lord." I said in fable. Grandfather would know what I meant. And, apparently, so did the entire court.

_Wow. _

The serene outrage on Lord Hio's behalf was so thick that a wooden practice sword could cut it.

But, as expected, _they_ did nothing to defend Lord Hio's stepped-upon honor. _As expected. _

My heart blackened.

_Boring_.

This is all so boring.

* * *

**Chapter Two – Tedious Boredom **

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**Ancient Jomon Period**

**(Rido Kuran)**

Three hours after the royal court session, my dear father had decided that now was the time to express his true sentiments over my pervious performance.

SLAP!

_SLAP! _

_**SLAP!**_

It took all I could to _contain_ myself, but as my father raised his hand to strike me a fourth time, I sarcastically said, "As much as I enjoy your _dear_ affections, father, I do require my handsomeness."

Oh, he was not amused.

"_You little fool!"_ My father raged. "You little worthless stupid fool!" His tongue hissed. "Do you know what you've done? DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?"

Yes. I did. But I wasn't about to let him know that. I liked my face, after all.

"Isn't asking a fool counterproductive, father?" I harshly mocked him instead. "So, why don't you be the kind soul you are, and explain what this 'little worthless stupid fool' has done."

I really need to stop pushing him.

My father, Second Heir Prince Ryujin Kuran, raised his hand to viciously strike me - yet again - but a small feminine hand touched his shoulder to calm him down.

"My heart," The small woman started, "Rido is but a child, child. He not have known better."

My father restrained himself. Her words had stopped his next attack on my person. I guess I should be grateful for her intervention.

But, alas, I am not.

I looked at the woman coldly.

_How I loathed her. _

But this feeling I had for her was _**nothing**_ when compared to my dark feelings towards my own father.

And the bad feelings between us were mutual to be sure.

My father hates me. No, he has _always_ **hated**. I've known this ever since I can remember.

And this was why.

"You are just like your mother, boy." My father hatefully spat out. "You are exactly like that worthless woman. Stupid and foolish - just let her."

Father always knew the one thing he could say to get under my skin.

In an instant, I could hardly breathe. The air in my lungs nearly burned me, but I kept my face expressionless. As hard as that was to do. I knew his words were intended to be insults, and thus I should let it affect me, but, by night, I could not help it.

His words…hurt me. Like a knife straight into my chest.

My mother, the beautiful but late Tamayori-hime, was not a woman my father ever loved.

Married her? He did.

Produce me as was expected? He did as well.

But love either of us?

…_No_.

That, my friend, was too much - far too much - to ask for.

Why do I feel like crying?

During the early parts of my grandfather's reign, my beautiful mother was given to my father as a princess bride. This was done in order to seal a peace treaty with our house's oldest of enemy, the Sea Dragon Clan. She was a rare beauty. Her long black hair was the richest of silks, and her eyes were as big and as pure as the blue skies. However, it was her unusual softness and meekness in personality that made her the true gem. Her kind character was uncharacteristic of a vampire woman, especially for a noble vampire woman (who are notoriously prideful and vain), yet because of her personal rarity she was greatly like by our people.

Nevertheless, she meant absolutely nothing to my father.

_Absolutely nothing. _

Despite being a good wife and a faithful princess, she was nothing more than worthless asset to him…and she knew it.

It was probably why, after my maturation, my poor mother killed herself in a blaze of glory.

Yet, in less than three weeks, my father had the sheer audacity to marry his side woman - the woman he always loved - the fiery Toyotama-hime who stood beside him now - and act like nothing important had been lost.

One cannot understand the depths of my hatred for these two.

I will never forgive them. _I will never._ I want them both to suffer for what they have done to me.

But my father was absorbed in his own affairs, and thus he didn't care.

"Do you know how long I've tried to create a peaceful alliance with Lord Hio?" My father blackly hissed. "Do you know how hard I worked to gain his trust?" His voice was so high my ears started to hurt. "That girl was to be your wife!"

Ha. I perfectly knew that.

That was why I _ruined_ it.

Did this bastard really think I would ever help his rebellious aims when he stood silently by as my mother burned herself in her despair?

I would rather be buried in a _Forsaken Tomb_ for all of eternity, then allow him to achieve some type of happiness.

But I couldn't let him know that.

I'm a young fool, remember. I'm a hopeless, vain, and stupid fool - the evidence of something he never wanted.

Still, I had to pretend that I was repentant

"I'm sorry, my father." I softly said. "I'm sorry, I did not know –" I started to lie, but his crimson eyes were so dark that I stopped myself.

I could feel his hate for me like a blade against my throat.

"You never know anything yet, do you, Rido?" He harshly exclaimed. "If it doesn't involve whoring yourself to the nobles, throwing worthless and expensive parties, and going on drunken escapades, you don't know anything." He red eyes burned with disgust. "By the night, how I wished you burned with her! You have always been a disappointment!"

"My heart, please!" Toyotama-hime cried out. "You can not mean that and – "

"I can and do mean it, my love." My father viciously snapped out. "Rido is absolutely worthless. He is everything that I dislike in a man. No honor. No ambition. No aims. Just a sorry mistake that I should have straggled in its womb." He ranted on. He looked at her with sharp eyes. "Oh, if only you could provide me with a heir, Toyotama, then I can finally have a child that I'm proud of ."

It took a long moment of silence for the implications of what my father had just said was finally understood by all.

Oh, how I _**hated**_ him.

I pray to the August Star of Heaven that grandfather discovers his rebellious undertakings and _murder_ him - and his whore - for it.

By darkness, I wouldn't mind if I was killed in the process as well, because even if both of us ended up in hell, the fact that _he_ was there would give me the sweetest of peace.

How I desperately hated him at this moment.

Yet, after that long moment, my father shrugged off what he had said. "Get out of my sight." He ordered. "And don't come back until I tell you to, Rido."

**To Be Continued **

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**A/N:** Well, now! I've finally updated this! The chapter was pure Rido! O_O But, my, what a hard chapter it was to write! ;_; Getting Rido's pre-crazy personality down was hard, in and of itself, much less the world-creation I needed to do! Ha ha! How I love problems, plots, and complications! LOL.

Still, I hope some of the world-building in this chapter was cool to you guys! XD Please, please tell me what you think of my Rido and his sad life! I've given good hints as to the various dramas! But I must say, Zero is going to have a rough time dealing with Rido's various problems (much less his own) when he goes back, I must say!

Now, on to the First Reader's Choice Win for last chapter!

When Zero falls back into the past… he shall remain a man! XD

I guess you guys like Zero to always take the _harder_ paths, eh? XD Poor guy! LOL. Let's add more layers to this complicated romance, why don't we! (wink)

Anyway, thanks for reading and please leave a review! I read and consider all of them! They really make my day and cause me to idiotically smile (hence the name)! ;D


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